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and turned my horrified eyes downward to a shrieking； hurtling；
twisting thing that shot downward into the awful chasm beneath me。
It was Matai Shang； Holy Hekkador； Father of Therns； gone to
his last accounting。
Then my head came above the deck and I saw Thurid； dagger in hand；
leaping toward me。 He was opposite the forward end of the cabin；
while I was attempting to clamber aboard near the vessel's stern。
But a few paces lay between us。 No power on earth could raise me
to that deck before the infuriated black would be upon me。
My end had come。 I knew it； but had there been a doubt in my
mind the nasty leer of triumph upon that wicked face would have
convinced me。 Beyond Thurid I could see my Dejah Thoris； wide…eyed
and horrified； struggling at her bonds。 That she should be forced
to witness my awful death made my bitter fate seem doubly cruel。
I ceased my efforts to climb across the gunwale。 Instead I took
a firm grasp upon the rail with my left hand and drew my dagger。
I should at least die as I had livedfighting。
As Thurid came opposite the cabin's doorway a new element
projected itself into the grim tragedy of the air that was
being enacted upon the deck of Matai Shang's disabled flier。
It was Phaidor。
With flushed face and disheveled hair； and eyes that betrayed
the recent presence of mortal tearsabove which this proud goddess
had always held herselfshe leaped to the deck directly before me。
In her hand was a long； slim dagger。 I cast a last look upon
my beloved princess； smiling； as men should who are about to die。
Then I turned my face up toward Phaidorwaiting for the blow。
Never have I seen that beautiful face more beautiful than it
was at that moment。 It seemed incredible that one so lovely could
yet harbor within her fair bosom a heart so cruel and relentless；
and today there was a new expression in her wondrous eyes that I never
before had seen therean unfamiliar softness； and a look of suffering。
Thurid was beside her nowpushing past to reach me first； and then
what happened happened so quickly that it was all over before I could
realize the truth of it。
Phaidor's slim hand shot out to close upon the black's dagger wrist。
Her right hand went high with its gleaming blade。
〃That for Matai Shang！〃 she cried； and she buried her blade
deep in the dator's breast。 〃That for the wrong you would have done
Dejah Thoris！〃 and again the sharp steel sank into the bloody flesh。
〃And that； and that； and that！〃 she shrieked； 〃for John Carter；
Prince of Helium；〃 and with each word her sharp point pierced
the vile heart of the great villain。 Then； with a vindictive
shove she cast the carcass of the First Born from the deck to
fall in awful silence after the body of his victim。
I had been so paralyzed by surprise that I had made no move to reach
the deck during the awe…inspiring scene which I had just witnessed；
and now I was to be still further amazed by her next act； for Phaidor
extended her hand to me and assisted me to the deck； where I stood
gazing at her in unconcealed and stupefied wonderment。
A wan smile touched her lipsit was not the cruel and haughty
smile of the goddess with which I was familiar。 〃You wonder；
John Carter；〃 she said； 〃what strange thing has wrought this
change in me？ I will tell you。 It is lovelove of you；〃
and when I darkened my brows in disapproval of her words
she raised an appealing hand。
〃Wait；〃 she said。 〃It is a different love from mineit is
the love of your princess； Dejah Thoris； for you that has taught
me what true love may bewhat it should be； and how far from
real love was my selfish and jealous passion for you。
〃Now I am different。 Now could I love as Dejah Thoris loves；
and so my only happiness can be to know that you and she are once
more united； for in her alone can you find true happiness。
〃But I am unhappy because of the wickedness that I have wrought。
I have many sins to expiate； and though I be deathless； life is
all too short for the atonement。
〃But there is another way； and if Phaidor； daughter of the
Holy Hekkador of the Holy Therns； has sinned she has this day
already made partial reparation； and lest you doubt the sincerity
of her protestations and her avowal of a new love that embraces
Dejah Thoris also； she will prove her sincerity in the only way
that lies openhaving saved you for another； Phaidor leaves you
to her embraces。〃
With her last word she turned and leaped from the vessel's
deck into the abyss below。
With a cry of horror I sprang forward in a vain attempt to
save the life that for two years I would so gladly have seen
extinguished。 I was too late。
With tear…dimmed eyes I turned away that I might not see the
awful sight beneath。
A moment later I had struck the bonds from Dejah Thoris； and as
her dear arms went about my neck and her perfect lips pressed to
mine I forgot the horrors that I had witnessed and the suffering
that I had endured in the rapture of my reward。
THE NEW RULER
The flier upon whose deck Dejah Thoris and I found ourselves
after twelve long years of separation proved entirely useless。
Her buoyancy tanks leaked badly。 Her engine would not start。
We were helpless there in mid air above the arctic ice。
The craft had drifted across the chasm which held the corpses of
Matai Shang； Thurid； and Phaidor； and now hung above a low hill。
Opening the buoyancy escape valves I permitted her to come slowly
to the ground； and as she touched； Dejah Thoris and I stepped from
her deck and； hand in hand； turned back across the frozen waste
toward the city of Kadabra。
Through the tunnel that had led me in pursuit of them we passed；
walking slowly； for we had much to say to each other。
She told me of that last terrible moment months before when the
door of her prison cell within the Temple of the Sun was slowly
closing between us。 Of how Phaidor had sprung upon her with
uplifted dagger； and of Thuvia's shriek as she had realized the
foul intention of the thern goddess。
It had been that cry that had rung in my ears all the long；
weary months that I had been left in cruel doubt as to my
princess' fate； for I had not known that Thuvia had wrested
the blade from the daughter of Matai Shang before it had
touched either Dejah Thoris or herself。
She told me； too； of the awful eternity of her imprisonment。
Of the cruel hatred of Phaidor； and the tender love of Thuvia；
and of how even when despair was the darkest those two red girls
had clung to the same hope and beliefthat John Carter would
find a way to release them。
Presently we came to the chamber of Solan。 I had been proceeding
without thought of caution； for I was sure that the city and the
palace were both in the hands of my friends by this time。
And so it was that I bolted into the chamber f